Happy Publication Day: 5th September 2019

Autumn’s approaching, which means it’s almost back to curl-up-in-front-of-the-fire kind of weather. And to do that, you’re going to need books . . . lots of books. Well, you’re in luck! Today we have three superb offerings for your perusal. Take a read of them below.

Shadow Captain, Alastair Reynolds

Returning to the universe of Revenger, award-winning author Alastair Reynolds delivers another thrilling tale set among the stars.

Two sisters ran away from home to join the crew of a spaceship. They took on pirates, faced down monsters and survived massacres . . . and now they’re in charge. Captaining a fearsome ship of their own, adventures are theirs for the taking – and there’s hoards to loot and treasures to find in the darkest reaches of space. But the rules are also more relaxed out on the fringes, as they’re about to discover . . .

‘A must-read… an unexpectedly personal and emotionally driven tale of determination and retribution – with some great twists along the way and a gutsy heroine who will appeal to fans of young adult literature’ (review for Revenger) Starburst

Lavish, romantic and magical, The Caged Queen is a new story in the world of The Last Namsara – one that fans of the first book will flock to.

Once there were two sisters born with a bond so strong that it forged them together forever. When they were angry, mirrors shattered, and when they were happy, flowers bloomed. It was a magic they cherished – until the day a terrible accident took Essie’s life and trapped her soul in this world.

Dax – the heir to Firgaard’s throne – was responsible for the accident. Roa swore to hate him forever. But eight years later he returned, begging for her help. He was determined to dethrone his cruel father, under whose oppressive reign Roa’s people had suffered. Roa made him a deal: she’d give him the army he needed if he made her queen.

Together with Dax and his sister, Asha, Roa and her people waged war and deposed a tyrant. But now Asha is on the run, hiding from the price on her head. And Roa is an outlander queen, far from home and married to her enemy. Worst of all: Dax’s promises go unfulfilled. Roa’s people continue to suffer.

Then a chance to right every wrong arises – an opportunity for Roa to rid herself of this enemy king and rescue her beloved sister. During the Relinquishing, when the spirits of the dead are said to return, Roa can reclaim her sister for good.

All she has to do is kill the king.

Praise for Kristen Ciccarelli:

‘An accomplished fantasy novel . . . raised above the commonplace by one marvellous central premise – the idea that dragons are the custodians of the old tale, and that their fire is actually generated by the telling of stories – a premise that reads as an extended metaphor about imagination, stories and their power to change the world. It’s the first of a series. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next one. [Review for The Last Namsara] Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat and The Gospel of Loki

‘The most simple thing I can say is this is the best book I have ever read, and Kristen Ciccarelli is now my favourite author. Her story and her words have so much beauty, and love, and passion, and adventure. By the end I gasped every 5-10 pages and got goose bumps every 10-20 pages. There are not many books I would say this for, but pre-order this now because your soul has been waiting for a story this beautiful.’ [Review for The Last Namsara] Tomi Adeyemi, author of Children of Blood and Bone

‘An extremely enjoyable fantasy, with a well-developed world and characters, that I would highly recommend’ SF CROWSNEST

What happens when the internet comes alive? An SF thriller of terrifying possibilities.

Caitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a mathematics genius-and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind.

But Caitlin’s brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So, when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colours and shapes.

While exploring this amazing realm, she discovers something-some other-lurking in the background. And it’s getting more and more intelligent with each passing day.

The first of a spellbinding future history trilogy that charts what will happen when the world’s first, and superior, artificial intelligence is born in the web.